RTX 4070 vs RX 9070: Key Differences Explained

For most people buying a graphics card today, the Radeon RX 9070 is the better pick over the GeForce RTX 4070: it is the faster card at 1440p, it carries 16 GB of VRAM instead of 12 GB, and it launched at a lower $549 MSRP. The RTX 4070 still makes sense if you find one at a clear discount, if you want the lowest power draw and a slightly shorter card, or if you lean heavily on Nvidia-specific features such as DLSS frame generation and path-traced games.

These two cards come from different generations. The RTX 4070 is a previous-generation Ada Lovelace card from April 2023, while the RX 9070 is part of AMD’s current RDNA 4 lineup from March 2025. That gap matters more than the model numbers suggest, because RDNA 4 closed much of the ray tracing and upscaling gap that used to make Nvidia the default choice in this class.

GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 4070 WINDFORCE OC 12G Graphics Card, 3X WINDFORCE Fans, 12GB 192-bit GDDR6X, GV-N4070WF3OC-12GD Video Card

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PNY GeForce RTX™ 4070 12GB XLR8 Gaming Verto Epic-X RGB™ Triple Fan Graphics Card DLSS 3

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ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger 16GB OC Graphics Card, RDNA 4, 2520MHz Boost, 16GB GDDR6 256-bit, PCIe 5.0, Triple Fans, 0dB Silent, LED Indicator

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ASUS Prime Radeon RX 9070 EVO 16GB GDDR6 OC Edition Gaming Graphics Card | PCIe 5.0, HDMI/DP 2.1, 2.5-slot, Axial-tech Fans, Dual-ball Fan Bearings, Dual BIOS, ASUS GPU Guard

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Spec Sheet Side by Side

Do not compare the shader counts directly. Nvidia and AMD count their execution units differently, so 5888 versus 3584 says nothing about which card is faster. The more meaningful lines are memory capacity, bus width and bandwidth: the RX 9070 has a third more VRAM and roughly 28% more raw bandwidth, which shows up most at 1440p with high-resolution textures and at 4K.

Rasterized Gaming: The RX 9070 Pulls Ahead

In traditional rasterized games, published reviews consistently place the RX 9070 ahead of the RTX 4070. Tech4Gamers measured an average lead of roughly 14% for the RX 9070 at 1440p, and ComputerBase’s 1440p data, as reported by TechPowerUp, implies a gap closer to 20% when you chain its RX 9070 GRE and RX 9070 results against the RTX 4070. TechPowerUp’s own review data shows the RX 9070 beating the newer RTX 5070 by about 8%, and the RTX 5070 itself sits above the RTX 4070. A fair summary is that the RX 9070 runs about 14-20% faster at 1440p in rasterized titles.

At 1080p the gap tends to shrink because the CPU becomes the limit in many games, especially with mid-range processors. At 4K the RX 9070’s extra memory helps it more, and TechPowerUp notes it has enough performance to explore 4K with upscaling or slightly reduced settings.

As a rough guide, and with the caveat that frame rates vary widely with settings, CPU and game patches, both cards typically run demanding current games at high settings in the 60-100 fps range at 1440p without upscaling, with the RX 9070 sitting toward the upper part of that range more often. Lighter esports titles run far above that on both.

Ray Tracing and Path Tracing

This is where the RTX 4070 used to have a clear win over older Radeon cards, but RDNA 4 changed the picture. According to TechPowerUp’s review data, the RX 9070’s lead over the RTX 5070 in ray-traced games was about the same as its raster lead, which means AMD’s ray tracing deficit has largely closed in mainstream RT games. Against the older RTX 4070, the RX 9070 is roughly level to modestly ahead in typical ray-traced titles.

The exception is heavy path tracing, as used in games like Cyberpunk 2077’s Overdrive mode and Alan Wake 2’s full RT preset. Nvidia hardware still tends to hold up better there, and those games are tuned with Nvidia’s features in mind. If path-traced showcase titles are your main reason for buying a GPU, the RTX 4070 narrows the gap or wins in some of them, although neither card is truly comfortable at native 1440p in those modes.

Upscaling and Frame Generation

Both cards now have strong upscaling, which was not true a couple of years ago:

• RTX 4070: supports DLSS super resolution including the newer transformer-based model from DLSS 4, plus DLSS frame generation (single generated frame). Multi frame generation is limited to RTX 50 cards, so the 4070 does not get it.
• RX 9070: supports FSR 4, AMD’s machine-learning upscaler that is exclusive to RDNA 4. Reviewers widely describe FSR 4 as a big step over FSR 3.1 in image quality and close to DLSS in many scenes. It also supports AMD’s frame generation.

The practical difference is game support. DLSS is still in more games than FSR 4, although AMD has expanded the list substantially and many FSR 3.1 titles can be upgraded to FSR 4 through the driver. If you play a lot of older or less popular titles, DLSS coverage is a modest point in the 4070’s favor.

VRAM Headroom: 12 GB vs 16 GB

Here is a simple way to think about memory needs by resolution in current AAA games at high settings:

Frame generation and ray tracing both add memory overhead, so a 12 GB card running RT plus frame generation at 1440p is closer to its limit than the raw resolution suggests. For a card you plan to keep three to four years, the RX 9070’s 16 GB is the safer bet.

Cost Per Frame at Launch Pricing

Using launch MSRPs and an RTX 4070 index of 100 for 1440p raster performance, with the RX 9070 at roughly 114-120 based on the reviews above:

• RTX 4070: $599 / 100 = about $6.00 per performance point.
• RX 9070: $549 / 117 (midpoint) = about $4.70 per performance point.

That works out to roughly 20-25% better value for the RX 9070 at launch prices. For the RTX 4070 to match the RX 9070 on cost per frame, it would need to sell for about $465-$480 against an RX 9070 at its $549 launch price. Since the RTX 4070 is previous generation, that is the price band where a new or used one starts to make sense; used RTX 4070s usually trade in the roughly $400-$480 range depending on the model and condition.

Power, PSU and Case Fit

The RTX 4070 is rated at 200 W and the RX 9070 at 220 W, so the difference in heat and power is small. Tech4Gamers measured the 4070 as notably more efficient per frame, but at the system level both are easy to cool and power.

PSU sizing with a common rule of thumb (GPU TDP + CPU + about 150 W headroom):

• RTX 4070 with a 120 W gaming CPU: 200 + 120 + 150 = 470 W, so a quality 550 W unit is plenty.
• RX 9070 with the same CPU: 220 + 120 + 150 = 490 W, so 550-650 W is a comfortable target.
• With a high-draw CPU around 200 W, add about 80 W to either figure and choose a 650-750 W unit.

Connectors differ. The RTX 4070 reference design uses a single 16-pin plug, typically fed by an adapter from two 8-pin cables or a native cable on newer power supplies; many partner 4070 cards use a regular 8-pin instead. The RX 9070 uses two standard 8-pin connectors, which suits older power supplies with no special cables. Seat any 16-pin plug fully and avoid sharp bends near the connector.

For size, the 4070 reference length is 240 mm and the RX 9070 is 267 mm, both two slots wide. Most mid-tower cases fit either easily, but small-form-factor builders should measure clearance, because partner cards with larger coolers can run noticeably longer than these figures.

Which One to Pick by Resolution and Budget

The Bottom Line

The RX 9070 is simply the newer, faster card with more memory, and it launched for less money. Its FSR 4 upscaler removes the biggest reason people used to pay extra for Nvidia in this tier, and its ray tracing is now competitive in most games. The RTX 4070 is still a capable, efficient 1440p card, and it becomes a good buy when the price drops well below the RX 9070, particularly on the used market. Unless you find that kind of discount or care most about path tracing, choose the RX 9070.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the RX 9070 faster than the RTX 4070?

Yes. Published reviews put the RX 9070 roughly 14-20% ahead of the RTX 4070 at 1440p in rasterized games. In typical ray-traced games it is roughly level to modestly ahead, while the RTX 4070 can still do better in some heavy path-traced titles.

Is 12 GB of VRAM on the RTX 4070 enough?

For 1080p and most 1440p games, 12 GB is enough today. It can get tight at 1440p with ray tracing and frame generation enabled, and at 4K you will often need to lower texture settings. The RX 9070’s 16 GB gives more headroom for future games.

Is FSR 4 as good as DLSS?

FSR 4 is a large improvement over earlier FSR versions and reviewers generally rate it close to DLSS in image quality. DLSS still appears in more games, so coverage is the bigger difference. FSR 4 only runs on RDNA 4 cards like the RX 9070.

What power supply do I need for the RX 9070?

With a typical gaming CPU, a quality 550-650 W power supply is enough for the 220 W RX 9070. It uses two standard 8-pin PCIe connectors. If you pair it with a very power-hungry CPU, a 650-750 W unit gives more margin.

Does the RX 9070 need a PCIe 5.0 motherboard?

No. The RX 9070 uses a PCIe 5.0 x16 interface but works in PCIe 4.0 and PCIe 3.0 slots. Because it uses all 16 lanes, the performance loss on older boards is small.

Should I upgrade from an RTX 4070 to an RX 9070?

Usually not. A gain of around 14-20% is noticeable but not dramatic, and you would give up DLSS support in your game library. Owners of an RTX 4070 get more from waiting for a bigger jump, such as an RX 9070 XT class card or higher.